Being serious, how many people are required to send 11 talented men on to a green to play cricket?

One wonders how great players of the past managed considering the regime they played under: B&B accommodation, travel by public transport, steak pies, bacon and egg, fried bread, pork pies, fish and chips, mushy peas, cream cakes, tea, gallons of beer, tobacco and socialising with the opposition, playing 22 county games a season, plus low wags, a benefit year if they were lucky, no pay in the winter unless on tour, bowling 800 overs in a season and scoring 500 runs.